Stepladder



Jan. 1 1924 O. H. STEGEMAN STEPLADDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 171923 om ESfegemm Jan. 143 1924 O. H.A STEGEMAN STEPLADDER Filed Jan. 1'71923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ilE Patented dan. l.,

OTTO H. STEGEMAN, OF STBATFORD, CONNECTCUT.

STEPLADDER. y

Application filed January 17, 1923. Seria No. 613,150.

To all 107mm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, OTTO H. STEGEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the town of Stratford, in the county of Fairfield and Stateof Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStepladders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact de-V scription of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements` in stepladders and the primary object thereof is to provide a ladder which isof strong construction, while still light in weight7 and which alsoeffectually resists collapse of the parts when subjected to pressure. l

The invention further aims to provide novel means for connecting thesteps tothe front legs and for bracing the same, as well as for bracingthe rear legs so that the parts will be strong and will resist anycollapsing tendency.

Still further, the invention aims to provide novel jointed means for`holding the front and rear legs in extended or operative position.

The invention further resides in the details of construction andcombination of parts now to be fully described and later claimed and hasstill further and other objects which will be later set forth andmanifested in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1, is a side elevation oftheinvention, showing the ladder inoperative position; Y

Figure 2, is a front elevation parts being broken away and shown insection; Y

Figure 3, is an enlarged section on line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4, is an 4 4 of Figure l;

Figure 5, is an 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure G, is an 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7, a section on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

The front legs 1 are formed of metal of C-shape in cross section whilethe rear legs enlarged section `on line enlarged section on lineenlarged section online u 2 are also formed of metal of correspondingcross-section, but of less width and thickness than that of the frontlegs.

The top platform 3 as shown in Figure 4, has downwardly anged sides 4and ends 5 the corners of which are braced by L-shaped clips G. that areriveted in position. Angle bars 7 and 8 are riveted tothe top 3 and theside flanges 4 thereof so as to strengthen and bracethese parts.

The upper and lower ends of the front legs have U-shaped reinforcingmembers 9 and 10 secured thereto and which extend across the open sidesof the legs. Similar U-shaped reinforcing members 11 are secured to thelower ends of the rearlegs,

while rectangular reinforcing members 12V are secured to legs. A

Pairs of spaced angle plates 13 are secured to the under face of top 3and trans versely thereof, and receive the upper ends of the front legstherebetween and to which they are rivetedy as indicated at 14, and alsoreceive the upper ends of the rear legs and to which they are pivoted bypins 15. Rubber feet 16 and 17 are secured to the lower ends of therespective front and rear legs 1 and 2.

For the purpose of holding the front and rear legs in spread oroperative position links 18 and 19 are pivoted at their outer ends, tothe front and rear legs and are pivoted together at 2O adjacent theirinner ends. Member 18 has an upwardly facing notch 21 adjacent its innerend to receive a finger 22 which is `formed by reducing the inner end ofthe link 19 and curving same to one side so as to be received in slot2l. Finger 22 thus limits the downward movements ofthe links and retainssame in true horizontal alinement as depicted in Figure 1 of thedrawings.

The steps 23 are each formed of longitudinally corrugated channel barsto not onlyv strengthen same but to also afford roughened treads. Angleplates 24 are riveted to the ends of the steps and in turn are connectedto U-shaped members 25 that are riveted at 25 to the front legs, bymeans of bolts 26, the latter extending through thefront legs, throughtheinturned flanges thereof, through the members 25 Y and through theangle plates 24. In this manner all of the parts are rigidly securedtogether and held firmly in position.

The top 3 and each of the steps is held by substantially V-shaped braces27, the

the upper ends of the rear braces being formed of channel form andhaving folded flattened central parts 28 and folded flattened ends 32',the flattened centers and ends being each riveted within the interiorsof the top and steps and also within the front legs.

rllhe rear legs have a cross-brace 30 of C-cross-section between itsends and which is secured by angle clips 3l and connecting straps 32 tothe rear legs 2. Inclined braces 33 having folded flattened inner endsare riveted to opposite sides .of cross brace 30 by rivets 3l the lattercommon to each inner end of the four braces 33, the inner ends of thelatter being superimposed upon each other, while the outer ends of thebraces 33 are also flattened and riveted within the rear legs 2. In thismanner the rear legs are braced in a strong and simple manner, since'therivets 31 serve to connect all of the four braces to the brace 30. Eachbrace by virtue of yits folded and flattened portions is materiallystrengthened and affords an effective riveting part of triple thicknessof the metal. y

Between the downwardly flanged sides et of the platform 3 and the anglebars 7 anl S are strips 34 and 35 preferably of steel, these stripsbeing firmly clamped between said sides and bars by the rivets 36 and37. These steel strips not only strengthen the structure but, by theirresiliency, prevent permanent bends or distortions in the aluminum.

The steps 23 have downwardly turned edges 38 which are bent and foldedso as to encase steel strips 39, which latter have the same function asthe strips 34 and What is claimed is l. In a step ladder, legs ofC-cross-section, U-shaped reinforcing members secured to the legs andextending across the open sides thereof, longitudinally corrugated stepsof U-crosssection, angle clips secured to the interiors of the steps atthe ends thereof and abutting said members, and means to secure theclips to the members.

2. In a step ladder, legs of C-cross-scction, U-shaped reinforcingmembers secured to the legs and extending across the open sides thereof,longitudinally corrugated steps of' U-cross-section, angle clips securedto the interiors of the steps at the ends thereof and abutting saidmembers, and fastenings extending through the legs, through the inturned side edges thereof, through the meinbers and through the clips tosecure all of the parts together.

3. In a step ladder, legs of C-cross-section, U-shaped reinforcingmembers secured to the legs and extending acrossthe open sides thereof,longitudinally corrugated steps of Ucrosssection, angle clips secured tothe in- -teriorsV `of the steps at the ends thereof and abutting saidmembers, means to secure the 4clips to the members, and braces ofchannel form having folded flattened central parts and folded flattenedends secured within the steps and legs respectively.

4t. In combination with the front legs and steps of a stepladder, rearlegs of channel form, a. cross brace of channel form secured to the rearlegs, pairs of channel bracesron opposite sides of the cross-bracehaving folded flattened ends the outer ends of the braces being securedto and within the legs and the inner ends thereof being arranged insuperimposed order and m ahnement on opposite sides of the cross brace,and fastenings passed through all of the inner ends ofthe braces andthrough the crossfbrace.

5. In combination with the front legs and steps of a stepladder, rearlegs, a cross brace connecting the rear legs, upper and lower braces ofchannel form having folded flat ends the outer of which ends are securedto the legs and the inner of which ends are ar ranged in superimposedorder and in alinement on opposite sides of the cross-brace, and meanspassed through all of the inner brace ends and through the cross braceto secure the parts together.

6. In a step ladder, a top having downwardly flanged sides and ends,Vangle bars bracing the sides, channelled front and rear legs,reinforcing 'members connected to the legs at the tops thereof andextending across the open sides thereof, transverse angleplatessecured'to the top and receiving 'the i upper ends of the legstherebetween, and means to connectthe legs and members to the angleplates.

7. In a step ladder, a 'top having downwardly flanged sides and ends,angle bars bracing the sides, channelled front and rear legs,reinforcing members connected to the legs at the tops thereof andextending across i thc open sides thereof, transverse angleplatessecured to the top and receiving the upper ends of the legstherebetween, means to connect the legs and members to the angleplates,and a channel brace having folded flattened ends secured within thefront legs and having a folded flattened central part secured to theunder face of the top.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature hereto.

OTTO I-I. STEGEMAN.

